Amsterdam Candidates 1956

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Amsterdam Candidates 1956
Compiled by Tabanus

Ten players competed to select a challenger to the world title. As the loser of the Botvinnik - Smyslov World Championship Match (1954), Smyslov was seeded directly into the tournament while the other nine were qualified from the Gothenburg Interzonal (1955).

The opening ceremony took place on 26 March in Vossius Gymnasium, Amsterdam where the chairman of the Dutch Chess Federation Hendrik Jan van Steenis and FIDE President Folke Rogard held opening speeches. The tournament was then formally opened by Vice Mayor de Roos, and the chairman of the Stichting Internationale Schaaktraditie Amsterdam Evert Straat thanked all the sponsors. Whereafter the former (1935-1937) World Champion Max Euwe presented the tournament program and performed the drawing of lots. Play started at 5:30 pm the next day in Minerva-paviljoen, Amsterdam - the main venue, and lasted for five weeks and 18 rounds, when all the players had met each other twice (once with the white and once with the black pieces). Rounds 10 and 11 were played in Leeuwarden, where the players stayed in Hotel Lauswolt for five days (12-17 April).

As in the Zuerich Candidates (1953) tournament, Smyslov won. Smyslov went on to win the Botvinnik - Smyslov World Championship Match (1957) and become the 7th World Champion. He then lost the Smyslov - Botvinnik World Championship Rematch (1958). The next qualifier cycle was the Portoroz Interzonal (1958) and the Bled-Zagreb-Belgrade Candidates (1959).

Minerva-paviljoen, Amsterdam (rounds 1-9 and 12-18) and De Beurs, Leeuwarden (rounds 10-11), 27 March - 30 April 1956, final standings and crosstable:

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 Pts CHF* 1 Smyslov ** ½½ ½½ 0½ ½½ ½1 11 ½1 1½ ½1 11½ 5000 2 Keres ½½ ** ½½ ½½ ½½ ½1 ½½ ½0 1½ 1½ 10 3500 =3 Szabó ½½ ½½ ** 1½ ½½ ½½ ½1 0½ ½½ 01 9½ 1310 =3 Spassky 1½ ½½ 0½ ** ½½ ½1 0½ ½½ ½½ ½1 9½ 1310 =3 Petrosian ½½ ½½ ½½ ½½ ** 0½ 01 1½ ½½ 1½ 9½ 1310 =3 Bronstein ½0 ½0 ½½ ½0 1½ ** ½1 1½ ½½ ½1 9½ 1310 =3 Geller 00 ½½ ½0 1½ 10 ½0 ** 11 ½1 1½ 9½ 1310 =8 Filip ½0 ½1 1½ ½½ 0½ 0½ 00 ** 10 ½1 8 650 =8 Panno 0½ 0½ ½½ ½½ ½½ ½½ ½0 01 ** 1½ 8 650 10 Pilnik ½0 0½ 10 ½0 0½ ½0 0½ 0½ 0½ ** 5 500

Tournament leader: Max Euwe, assisted by Haije Kramer and Wolfgang Heidenfeld.

Tournament books: Das Kandidatenturnier für die Weltmeisterschaft 1956 by Max Euwe and Willem Jan Muhring (ten Have, Amsterdam 1956. 186 + 5 pp. Reprint 1980: Variant, Nederhorst den Berg); World Championship Candidates' Tournament: Holland 1956 by Baruch Harold Wood (Chess, Sutton Coldfield 1956. 156 pp. Reprint 2003: Hardinge Simpole Ltd.).

Daily reports in Utrechts Nieuwsblad are available at http://www.hetutrechtsarchief.nl/co.... Dates are from De Telegraaf which is also available at http://resources2.kb.nl/110585000/p... (get day by changing the last digit in the URL). The New York Times had daily reports except rounds 10 and 11.

Pictures of six of the players: http://www.anp-archief.nl/page/2385...

Original collections: Game Collection: WCC Index (Candidates Tournament, 1956) by User: Resignation Trap and Game Collection: Amsterdam Candidates 1956 by User: Tabanus. Thanks to User: Benzol, User: Chessical, User: Phony Benoni and User: Stonehenge for help with sources. *Prizes in CHF or Swiss franc, Wikipedia article: Swiss franc.

Round 1 1956.03.27
Geller vs Petrosian, 1956
(E58) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line with 8...Bxc3, 46 moves, 1-0
Panno vs Pilnik, 1956
(A21) English, 40 moves, 1-0
Keres vs Bronstein, 1956
(C28) Vienna Game, 47 moves, 1/2-1/2
Smyslov vs Szabo, 1956
(E62) King's Indian, Fianchetto, 31 moves, 1/2-1/2
Filip vs Spassky, 1956
(A05) Reti Opening, 20 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round 2 1956.03.28
Geller vs Smyslov, 1956
(E26) Nimzo-Indian, Samisch, 56 moves, 0-1
Pilnik vs Filip, 1956
(C78) Ruy Lopez, 57 moves, 1/2-1/2
Szabo vs Panno, 1956
(A56) Benoni Defense, 42 moves, 1/2-1/2
Spassky vs Keres, 1956
(D28) Queen's Gambit Accepted, Classical, 29 moves, 1/2-1/2
Petrosian vs Bronstein, 1956
(E66) King's Indian, Fianchetto, Yugoslav Panno, 36 moves, 0-1
Round 3 1956.03.30
Smyslov vs Petrosian, 1956
(E63) King's Indian, Fianchetto, Panno Variation, 53 moves, 1/2-1/2
Keres vs Pilnik, 1956
(B20) Sicilian, 41 moves, 1-0
Bronstein vs Spassky, 1956
(E63) King's Indian, Fianchetto, Panno Variation, 34 moves, 1/2-1/2
Panno vs Geller, 1956
(A14) English, 19 moves, 1/2-1/2
Filip vs Szabo, 1956
(E77) King's Indian, 19 moves, 1-0
Round 4 1956.03.31
Geller vs Filip, 1956
(C95) Ruy Lopez, Closed, Breyer, 38 moves, 1-0
Szabo vs Keres, 1956
(E53) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, 19 moves, 1/2-1/2
Petrosian vs Spassky, 1956
(A26) English, 71 moves, 1/2-1/2
Pilnik vs Bronstein, 1956
(C67) Ruy Lopez, 24 moves, 1/2-1/2
Smyslov vs Panno, 1956
(B92) Sicilian, Najdorf, Opocensky Variation, 41 moves, 1-0
Round 5 1956.04.04
Spassky vs Pilnik, 1956
(A56) Benoni Defense, 73 moves, 1/2-1/2
Bronstein vs Szabo, 1956
(E58) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line with 8...Bxc3, 43 moves, 1/2-1/2
Panno vs Petrosian, 1956
(D94) Grunfeld, 52 moves, 1/2-1/2
Filip vs Smyslov, 1956
(E19) Queen's Indian, Old Main line, 9.Qxc3, 23 moves, 1/2-1/2
Keres vs Geller, 1956
(A30) English, Symmetrical, 21 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round 6 1956.04.05
Panno vs Filip, 1956
(D19) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Dutch, 37 moves, 0-1
Smyslov vs Keres, 1956
(D33) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 26 moves, 1/2-1/2
Petrosian vs Pilnik, 1956
(A56) Benoni Defense, 50 moves, 1-0
Geller vs Bronstein, 1956
(D80) Grunfeld, 98 moves, 1/2-1/2
Szabo vs Spassky, 1956
(A49) King's Indian, Fianchetto without c4, 38 moves, 1-0
Round 7 1956.04.07
Keres vs Panno, 1956
(B96) Sicilian, Najdorf, 67 moves, 1-0
Filip vs Petrosian, 1956
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 36 moves, 0-1
Bronstein vs Smyslov, 1956
(E55) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Gligoric System, Bronstein Variation, 24 moves, 1/2-1/2
Spassky vs Geller, 1956
(D32) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 42 moves, 0-1
Pilnik vs Szabo, 1956
(C83) Ruy Lopez, Open, 56 moves, 1-0
Round 8 1956.04.09
Filip vs Keres, 1956
(A29) English, Four Knights, Kingside Fianchetto, 13 moves, 1/2-1/2
Petrosian vs Szabo, 1956
(E46) Nimzo-Indian, 20 moves, 1/2-1/2
Panno vs Bronstein, 1956
(A80) Dutch, 74 moves, 1/2-1/2
Geller vs Pilnik, 1956
(B33) Sicilian, 43 moves, 1-0
Smyslov vs Spassky, 1956
(A13) English, 66 moves, 0-1
Round 9 1956.04.11
Keres vs Petrosian, 1956
(B63) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 41 moves, 1/2-1/2
Spassky vs Panno, 1956
(C12) French, McCutcheon, 36 moves, 1/2-1/2
Szabo vs Geller, 1956
(B64) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 22 moves, 1/2-1/2
Pilnik vs Smyslov, 1956
(B59) Sicilian, Boleslavsky Variation, 7.Nb3, 22 moves, 1/2-1/2
Bronstein vs Filip, 1956
(D92) Grunfeld, 5.Bf4, 58 moves, 1-0
Round 10 1956.04.14
Spassky vs Filip, 1956
(D01) Richter-Veresov Attack, 49 moves, 1/2-1/2
Bronstein vs Keres, 1956
(C99) Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin, 12...cd, 53 moves, 0-1
Petrosian vs Geller, 1956
(D34) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 73 moves, 1-0
Szabo vs Smyslov, 1956
(E46) Nimzo-Indian, 30 moves, 1/2-1/2
Pilnik vs Panno, 1956
(B05) Alekhine's Defense, Modern, 63 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round 11 1956.04.16
Smyslov vs Geller, 1956
(A15) English, 38 moves, 1-0
Filip vs Pilnik, 1956
(A21) English, 43 moves, 1-0
Bronstein vs Petrosian, 1956
(E95) King's Indian, Orthodox, 7...Nbd7, 8.Re1, 29 moves, 1/2-1/2
Keres vs Spassky, 1956
(C78) Ruy Lopez, 30 moves, 1/2-1/2
Panno vs Szabo, 1956
(D75) Neo-Grunfeld, 6.cd Nxd5, 7.O-O c5, 8.dxc5, 23 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round 12 1956.04.18
Spassky vs Bronstein, 1956
(E80) King's Indian, Samisch Variation, 48 moves, 1-0
Geller vs Panno, 1956
(C91) Ruy Lopez, Closed, 33 moves, 1-0
Petrosian vs Smyslov, 1956
(D14) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation, 10 moves, 1/2-1/2
Szabo vs Filip, 1956
(B14) Caro-Kann, Panov-Botvinnik Attack, 43 moves, 1/2-1/2
Pilnik vs Keres, 1956
(C78) Ruy Lopez, 42 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round 13 1956.04.19
Panno vs Smyslov, 1956
(A15) English, 25 moves, 1/2-1/2
Bronstein vs Pilnik, 1956
(E62) King's Indian, Fianchetto, 30 moves, 1-0
Filip vs Geller, 1956
(A49) King's Indian, Fianchetto without c4, 38 moves, 0-1
Spassky vs Petrosian, 1956
(E46) Nimzo-Indian, 33 moves, 1/2-1/2
Keres vs Szabo, 1956
(C86) Ruy Lopez, Worrall Attack, 41 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round 14 1956.04.21
Petrosian vs Panno, 1956
(B76) Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack, 20 moves, 1/2-1/2
Geller vs Keres, 1956
(C97) Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin, 26 moves, 1/2-1/2
Pilnik vs Spassky, 1956
(C82) Ruy Lopez, Open, 43 moves, 0-1
Szabo vs Bronstein, 1956
(D33) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 46 moves, 1/2-1/2
Smyslov vs Filip, 1956
(C97) Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin, 49 moves, 1-0
Round 15 1956.04.24
Bronstein vs Geller, 1956
(D50) Queen's Gambit Declined, 55 moves, 1-0
Keres vs Smyslov, 1956
(C78) Ruy Lopez, 19 moves, 1/2-1/2
Spassky vs Szabo, 1956
(D36) Queen's Gambit Declined, Exchange, Positional line, 6.Qc2, 59 moves, 1/2-1/2
Filip vs Panno, 1956
(E80) King's Indian, Samisch Variation, 42 moves, 0-1
Pilnik vs Petrosian, 1956
(B17) Caro-Kann, Steinitz Variation, 41 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round 16 1956.04.25
Smyslov vs Bronstein, 1956
(A15) English, 57 moves, 1-0
Geller vs Spassky, 1956
(E59) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line, 43 moves, 1/2-1/2
Panno vs Keres, 1956
(A30) English, Symmetrical, 18 moves, 1/2-1/2
Petrosian vs Filip, 1956
(A34) English, Symmetrical, 22 moves, 1/2-1/2
Szabo vs Pilnik, 1956
(E75) King's Indian, Averbakh, Main line, 37 moves, 1-0
Round 17 1956.04.27
Szabo vs Petrosian, 1956
(E89) King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Main line, 31 moves, 1/2-1/2
Keres vs Filip, 1956
(C97) Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin, 91 moves, 0-1
Pilnik vs Geller, 1956
(C78) Ruy Lopez, 62 moves, 1/2-1/2
Bronstein vs Panno, 1956
(E86) King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox, 7.Nge2 c6, 51 moves, 1/2-1/2
Spassky vs Smyslov, 1956
(E46) Nimzo-Indian, 23 moves, 1/2-1/2
Round 18 1956.04.30
Petrosian vs Keres, 1956
(D34) Queen's Gambit Declined, Tarrasch, 23 moves, 1/2-1/2
Filip vs Bronstein, 1956
(E60) King's Indian Defense, 65 moves, 1/2-1/2
Geller vs Szabo, 1956
(E53) Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, 51 moves, 0-1
Panno vs Spassky, 1956
(D37) Queen's Gambit Declined, 36 moves, 1/2-1/2
Smyslov vs Pilnik, 1956
(D78) Neo-Grunfeld, 6.O-O c6, 50 moves, 1-0
90 games

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